Because of the space confinements within an aircraft, coupling assemblies for interconnecting tubular conduit members are often located at places within the aircraft which are difficult to reach, to see and to service. Thus, it is desirable to have couplings which can be easily manipulated with one hand by the mechanic for closure and which can be visually inspected easily to assure that closure has in fact occurred. In addition, it is necessary that the fastening device used on the coupling have redundancy features to minimize inadvertent opening of the coupling should a latch become damaged.
The latching or locking art is well developed. There are many examples of latching devices having a central tine for guiding the latching mechanisms together and spaced outer tines which are resilient or bendable for moving them between a latched and unlatched position for separating and connecting the latching members. Examples of these are U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,189 to Leyden which shows a latching mechanism for connecting a toothbrush shank to an electric motor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,464 to Tracy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,787 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,982, both to Kasai; U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,040 to Terrell, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,280 to Fildan each show buckles for straps wherein one of the members has a central flexible tine spaced on either side of the central tine for receipt in a suitable receiving member. Although each of these devices is satisfactory for its intended purpose, none provides an arrangement wherein the tines are as readily accessible as is desirable in an aircraft configuration nor is there any indicia for identifying whether the clasp is securely fastened or not.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,090 to Skobel discloses a latching mechanism having a pair of tines with curved ends which reduces the surface in engagement with the receiving member which will lower the frictional forces on the device when it is being connected or released. However, it has none of the other features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,377 to Kasai and U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,337 to Dillner, et al. each disclose a female member having tapered side edges which engage the outer surfaces of the flexible tines. However, there is no indicia to identify whether or not the device is securely fastened nor are the tines arranged in the exposed manner required for access within an aircraft configuration. Nor is the geometry of the devices such that once they are released, they will tend to be urged apart by the reactive forces within the devices.